Chloe speaks through a mouthful of cereal. ‘I don’t need a bloody babysitter!’

‘I shall be here,’ David says, shaking his three-day-old paper and looking at his step-granddaughter over the top of it. ‘Not that you need looking after, my darling. Shall we go for our usual stroll up to the farmhouse and buy some bread from that young man?’

Amy’s taken aback. She hadn’t noticed that Chloe has been walking up to the farmhouse with her father. Perhaps she hasn’t taken sides against him, like the adults have. After all, she’s still a child – one who misses her grandfather. Chloe, her cheeks bulging with Cheerios, gives her granddad a thumbs up. Amy glances at Matt to see how he’s going to react, but he’s joking with Joe and doesn’t notice.

‘Thanks, Dad,’ Amy says, although she feels uneasy.

‘Come on, mate, let’s turn you into a lean, mean fighting machine,’ says Joe, throwing a mock punch at Nick, who pushes him off. ‘Don’t think I’ve seen you take your top off this whole holiday,’ he adds. ‘How are you going to get a proper tan?’

Amy exchanges a glance with Bethany, but she doesn’t say anything.

‘No one should have to see this,’ Nick says, patting his stomach.

‘Nothing to be ashamed of,’ Matt replies. ‘I’m sure you worked hard to get it. All those ciders and burgers down the Grain Barn.’

She doesn’t know if Matt has seen Nick without a T-shirt. It’s not like they’ve been on a beach holiday as adults before. ‘Lotte! Theo! Upstairs! I haven’t got all day.’ She wants the kids out of the way in case Nick does give in and takes off his top.

‘Come on! Slap a bit of suntan lotion on and you’re good to go. The ladies love a killer tan – and I can get you a six-pack in four weeks, I guarantee it.’

She looks at Bethany again, hoping she’ll tell Joe to leave Nick alone, but her sister crosses her arms and stares resolutely out of the window at the sea.

‘Go on! Go for it, mate!’

‘Nick,’ she says, at last, ‘you don’t have to.’

Nick stands up and grabs the edge of his T-shirt.

‘Nick, really, you don’t—’

‘That’s my lad,’ says Joe, giving a whoop and clapping him on the back.

Nick pulls his T-shirt over his head. Amy can’t bring herself to look. There’s a moment of silence.

‘Holy cow,’ Joe says, under his breath.

‘Are those real, Uncle Nick?’ asks Theo in a hushed voice.

‘Bona fide. I didn’t tattoo them on, Scouts’ honour,’ Nick says.

‘What’s a Scout? We say “pinkie promise”,’ says Lotte.

‘Theo, if you don’t go and get dressed right now, I’m not buying you an ice cream,’ Amy says.